Pope Airman, Wife Charged With Child Abuse

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FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — A Pope Airman and his wife are charged with beating their young baby.

Damein Tubbs, 24, and 21-year-old Jaton Tubbs are charged with abusing their infant son.
Both live on Winesap Road in Hope Mills where investigators believe the baby received the injuries when he was between 8 months old and 10 months old.

He is now in the hospital in guarded condition with six fractured ribs, multiple bruises to the face and a broken elbow.

"The injury of the arm itself is indicative of someone pulling and twisting the arm, which would be something a 10-month-old couldn't do to himself," said Detective David Bloomfield, of the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office.

Detectives say the child is also underweight. Officials say Damein is a vehicle operator with the 43rd Transportation Unit at Pope Air Force Base. The senior airman has been in the military for nearly five years.

Detectives say often times military families will not go for help, even if they know they need it.

"When they try to get help, a lot of times, it's a stigma to them and their families," said child abuse team supervisor Sgt. Nancy Cressler.

Officials say Jaton Tubbs' father, a police officer in South Dakota, is on his way to Cumberland County. The couple is being held at the Cumberland County jail under $30,000 bond.

Last week, Cumberland County investigators charged another Pope airman,